Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response Research Articles

Cooking Energy Systems and their Effect on Environmental Sustainability in Dodoma, Tanzania: A Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) Synthesis

Consumption of energy for various uses including cooking, has various effects on the welfare of the environment. In developing countries where the majority rely on traditional biomass, cooking energy systems entail multiple disruptions to environmental sustainability. The objective of this paper is to integrate the prevailing cooking energy use systems of Dodoma region and environmental sustainability. The study uses the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework to synthesize the two circumstances. Two sites, one rural and one urban were selected for data collection. The study adopted a case study design. Mixed methods were used to gather and analyze the data. Probability and non-probability sampling techniques were employed in the selection of the respondents. The target population was the households. The sample size constitutes 210 households. Methods of data collection included survey, in-depth interview, focus group discussion and non-participant observation. Semi structure questionnaires, interview guides and focus group discussion Results reveal a significant proportion of the population (72.4%) using biomass energy for cooking. Disaggregated data expose the rural setting to have relatively higher proportions (89. %) as opposed to the urban (53.1%). The study further noted that persistent use of biomass energy is influenced by availability, accessibility, and affordability. Moreover, many households have been using inefficient stoves which lead to the consumption of large quantities of energy. A transition from firewood to charcoal in the rural area, and a thriving charcoal business in the urban have contributed to the clearance of forests and chopping off huge trees in the rural (the source area). These have led to the gradual disappearance of certain tree species. The study found no deliberate efforts at the individual or community level to restore environmental sustainability despite all the alarming indicators. Even though there are institutional frameworks, it was very hard to establish the duties and responsibilities of the institutions regarding the responses. The study concludes that there is a long way to go before biomass energy is abandoned, therefore individuals, communities and the government to take action to safeguard the environment for the benefit of the current and future generations.

Identifying the Contributing Sources of Uncertainties in Urban Flood Vulnerability in South Korea Considering Multiple GCMs, SSPs, Weight Determination Methods, and MCDM Techniques

This study quantified uncertainties involved in assessing the future flood vulnerability in 33 urban areas with population exceeding designated thresholds in South Korea. The driver-pressure-state-impact-response (DPSIR) framework was utilized as the study procedure, integrating social, economic, and environmental factors. In addition, a total of 220 cases of combinations were examined, encompassing twenty general circulation models combined with shared socioeconomic pathway scenarios, five weight determination methods, and three multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques, as sources of inherent uncertainties in the process. The rankings of urban flood vulnerability (UFV) for the selected cities were comprehensively assessed considering all combinations, followed by an analysis of variance test to investigate contributing sources of uncertainties. As a result, Incheon and Busan were found to be vulnerable to flooding, while Yeongcheon and Andong appeared to be safe cities. Some cities exhibited wide ranges in their rankings, such as Daegu, Yangpyeon, and Jeongeup. The identified contributing sources were weighting (58%), MCDM (27%), and the combination of weighting and MCDM methods together (15%). This study revealed that weight determination methods and MCDM techniques are the primary sources of uncertainties in the assessment of future UFV instead of multiple GCMs and SSPs. This finding underscores the importance for decision-makers and stakeholders to carefully consider these uncertainties for sustainable flood risk management and prevention.

Constructing an evaluation model for the comprehensive level of sustainable development of provincial competitive sports in China based on DPSIR and MCDM.

This study focuses on the objective assessment of sport development in socio-economic environments, considering the challenges faced by the industry. These challenges include disparities in regional investments, limited market participation, slow progress towards sports professionalization, and insufficient technological innovations. To tackle these challenges, we suggest implementing an integrated evaluation model that follows the DPSIR (Drivers, Pressures, States, Impacts, Responses) framework and incorporates comprehensive socioeconomic indicators. Subsequently, we utilized the Entropy power method and TOPSIS (Order Preference Technique for Similarity to an Ideal Solution, TOPSIS) analysis to comprehensively assess the progress of competitive sports development in 31 provinces and cities in China. Additionally, we recommended further developments in competitive sports and proposed precise strategies for promoting its growth. The framework and methodology developed in this paper provide an objective and scientifically based set of decision-making guidelines that can be adopted by government agencies and related industries in order to create successful plans that promote the sustainable growth of competitive sport. This is expected to bolster the nation's global influence, enhance social unity, and fuel economic expansion. The findings of this study offer policymakers valuable insights regarding competitive sports and can advance the development of the sports sector in China, thus making it a crucial driver of regional socio-economic progress.

Stakeholder engagement in advancing sustainable ecotourism: an exploratory case study of Chilika Wetland

Ecotourism, over time, has emerged as a preferred strategy for resource utilization within protected areas of developing nations, as it effectively bridges the gap between ecological conservation imperatives and the imperative for local economic development. This study aims to comprehensively analyze the multifaceted impacts of ecotourism on local communities, with due consideration given to its environmental, social, and economic dimensions. Furthermore, the research endeavors to evaluate the degree of stakeholder engagement in fostering sustainable tourism practices within ecotourism initiatives. Thematic content analysis has been used and the data for the analysis has been sourced through field observations, key informant discussions and different secondary sources. This research examines the dynamic interaction between local communities and ecotourism aspects in the Chilika Wetland in India, using the DPSIR (Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response) framework. It promotes a comprehensive decision-making method that considers the Triple Bottom Line and Community-oriented Collaborative approach. Findings underscore the potential for Chilika’s ecosystem restoration and mitigating adverse tourist impacts with effective ecotourism governance. The need for collaboration among stakeholders becomes crucial for the effective administration of ecotourism, as shown by the instance of Mangalajodi, which exemplifies the successful outcome of community-led ecotourism. Nevertheless, certain prerequisites, such as knowledge dissemination, training, financial support, cultural promotion, eco-friendly infrastructure, and a commitment to conservation, have been recognized as necessary for ensuring long-term community involvement in ecotourism initiatives.

Green Transition Assessment, Spatial Correlation, and Obstacles Identification: Evidence from Urban Governance Data of 288 Cities in China

The green transition of China’s cities is crucial for ecology civilization realization. Based on the driver–pressure–state–impact–response (DPSIR) framework, an integrated technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) model with entropy weight, this study achieved the comprehensive assessment of the green transition of 288 province-level municipalities and prefecture-level cities in China over 18 years from 2002 to 2019, in addition to the spatial correlations and obstacles analysis. The results indicate that major cities in China have a more significant green transition value, and the eastern region is developing fast, while the northeast region is relatively slow. There was heterogeneous spatial distribution for green transition, because of the disequilibrium sustainable development of 288 cities. Green transition has a significantly positive spatial autocorrelation in the cities of China, the high–high significant clusters greatly increased, and the main locations changed from the northeast to southeast of China. Frequent obstacles were also found, including road infrastructure construction, water resources, and the green coverage of urban built-up areas. Based on these results, several policy implications were put forward, including the optimization of environmental laws and regulations, the development of green transportation infrastructure, resource conservation and the circular economy, the establishment of a green financial system, and increasing the linkage for the green transition of different cities.

Water consumption and biodiversity: Responses to global emergency events

Given that it was a once-in-a-century emergency event, the confinement measures related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused diverse disruptions and changes in life and work patterns. These changes significantly affected water consumption both during and after the pandemic, with direct and indirect consequences on biodiversity. However, there has been a lack of holistic evaluation of these responses. Here, we propose a novel framework to study the impacts of this unique global emergency event by embedding an environmentally extended supply-constrained global multiregional input-output model (MRIO) into the drivers-pressure-state-impact-response (DPSIR) framework. This framework allowed us to develop scenarios related to COVID-19 confinement measures to quantify country-sector-specific changes in freshwater consumption and the associated changes in biodiversity for the period of 2020–2025. The results suggest progressively diminishing impacts due to the implementation of COVID-19 vaccines and the socio-economic system’s self-adjustment to the new normal. In 2020, the confinement measures were estimated to decrease global water consumption by about 5.7% on average across all scenarios when compared to the baseline level with no confinement measures. Further, such a decrease is estimated to lead to a reduction of around 5% in the related pressure on biodiversity. Given the interdependencies and interactions across global supply chains, even those countries and sectors that were not directly affected by the COVID-19 shocks experienced significant impacts: Our results indicate that the supply chain propagations contributed to 79% of the total estimated decrease in water consumption and 84% of the reduction in biodiversity loss on average. Our study demonstrates that the MRIO-enhanced DSPIR framework can help quantify resource pressures and the resultant environmental impacts across supply chains when facing a global emergency event. Further, we recommend the development of more locally based water conservation measures—to mitigate the effects of trade disruptions—and the explicit inclusion of water resources in post-pandemic recovery schemes. In addition, innovations that help conserve natural resources are essential for maintaining environmental gains in the post-pandemic world.

Spatio-temporal evolution pattern and obstacle factors of water-energy-food nexus coupling coordination in the Yangtze river economic belt

The water-energy-food nexus (WEF nexus) poses a substantial global challenge driven by population growth and resource scarcity, necessitating the optimization of interconnections between water, energy, and food subsystems. The effective management of the WEF nexus has emerged as a pivotal component of sustainable development strategies. Based on the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework, this research establishes a comprehensive WEF nexus assessment indicator system to scrutinize the interrelationships and coordination mechanisms among these three essential systems. This study investigates the spatio-temporal characteristics and obstacle factors within the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) from 2012 to 2022 using the coupling coordination degree (CCD) model and obstacle factor diagnosis (OFD) model. The findings reveal several key insights: (1) The WEF nexus coupling degree (CD) across various provinces within the YREB currently exhibits a high-quality coupling state, characterized by minimal fluctuations and robust interconnectedness among the three subsystems; (2) Noteworthy disparities are observed in the spatio-temporal pattern of the WEF nexus CCD, reflecting an overarching evolutionary trend from low to high coupling coordination; (3) The obstacle factor analysis underscores critical areas for future focus in the YREB's development, emphasizing the efficient treatment of industrial emissions, urban water conservation, and adjustments to the proportion of coal consumption. This study contributes valuable insights for the CCD of the WEF nexus, providing valuable decision-making references for regional resource integration and the pursuit of sustainable development goals.

The Environmental Impact of E-Waste Microplastics: A Systematic Review and Analysis Based on the Driver–Pressure–State–Impact–Response (DPSIR) Framework

Microplastics resulting from the fragmentation of plastics in electronic waste (e-waste) are an emerging but understudied environmental concern. This systematic review employs a Driver–Pressure–State–Impact–Response (DPSIR) framework to investigate the sources, prevalence, and environmental effects of e-waste microplastics, identifying knowledge gaps. The available literature on e-waste microplastics was retrieved from Scopus and Web of Science (n = 24), and trends in electrical and electronic equipment were retrieved from European Union databases. The growing incorporation of electronics into daily life results in a global annual growth rate of 3–4% for e-waste, of which only 17.4% is collected for recycling. E-waste microplastics are frequently found in soils near disposal or disassembly facilities, potentially leaching hazardous metals (e.g., Pb) or organic compounds (e.g., flame retardants). These microplastics contaminate the food chain and can have adverse effects on the soil and gut microbiome, organisms, and human health, either independently or associated with other chemicals. Responses include the implementation of regulations, improvement of waste management systems, and mitigation measures. Despite these concerns, the literature on the topic remains limited, emphasizing the need for additional research on the identification of e-waste microplastics and their toxicity.

Perspectives on Drivers of Biodiversity and Environmental Changes in the Keta Lagoon Ramsar Site of Ghana

There is a general decline in biodiversity and the environment of coastal wetlands worldwide. Reasons for the decline obviously include overexploitation of wetland resources, climate change and industrialization, to mention but a few. This study used a purely qualitative approach using mainly focus group discussions (FDGs) in the framework of Driver–Pressure–State–Impact–Response (DPSIR) to examine the changes occurring in the largest coastal wetland in Ghana—the Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site (KLCRS). The results indicate that the state of the environment is bedevilled with species loss, increases in salinity, decreases in the physical size of fish species and many others. Pressures and related drivers were noted by the respondents. The results point to the fact that communities are not oblivious to the adaptation measures to implement in order to overcome the degradation of KLCRS. Overall, this study points to the fact that local communities have a good knowledge and understanding of their environment and are always in a position to offer ideas related to managing the environment if given the chance.

An analysis of coastal sand dune management in Oregon (United States) from the 19th to the 21st century

The Drivers-Pressures-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework was employed to understand the land use policies developed to manage coastal sand dunes and their consequences in Oregon, United States of America, during two contrasting periods: from the 19th to the late 20th century and from there to the early 21st century. A combination of historical data and scientific literature was used for this study. Dune destabilization became a socio-economic issue as Euro-Americans settled in Oregon in the 19th century. Ammophila arenaria and Ammophila breviligulata were widely used for stabilization. This led to a paradigm shift regarding dunes, at a time when their management was becoming more complex due to socio-natural factors. As non-native beachgrasses turned invasive causing the loss of biodiversity and habitats, their removal became the focus to restore the active dunes to support the natural processes of the ecosystem. However, the removal of these beachgrasses, particularly, Ammophila arenaria, results in low dune heights, increasing the risk of coastal flooding by reducing their effectiveness as a natural defense against sea-level rise and extreme storm surges. The reason for the contrasting dune management policies in Oregon since the 1930 s is that the management response to environmental impacts due to human drivers creates new drivers, pressures, and corresponding impacts, as shown in the DPSIR analysis. Thus, land use policies for managing coastal dunes in Oregon and other places must balance efforts to restore the native biodiversity while minimizing coastal flooding in a context of accelerating and continuous sea-level rise in the 21st century.

Community-based ecotourism for sustainability: An evaluative analysis of Binh Son district, Quang Ngai province in Vietnam

Community-based ecotourism (CBE) has been adopted for the preservation and restoration of the ecosystem in the four local communities in Binh Son district of Quang Ngai province in Vietnam. This study investigates the causal links that exist between socioeconomic development, the protection of biodiversity, environment and natural resources, and the institutional responses necessary for successful CBE development. In order to understand the complexities of the CBE model and how the stakeholders engaged in the CBE at local communities, a mix of the Strength-Weakness-Opportunity-Threat (SWOT) analysis and Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework was employed for qualitative and quantitative data analysis using key informant interviews and household surveys. The study findings include important implications for both policy and management for promoting the sustainable growth of ecotourism in the region. Regarding theoretical contribution, various challenges to sustainably developing CBE have been identified while a DPSIR conceptual framework is proposed to assist future research in CBE in this area.

Conceptual Framework and Prospective Analysis of EU Tourism Data Spaces

This article delves deeply into the burgeoning field of Tourism Data Spaces (TDS) in Europe, focusing on how technologies like Big Data and IoT are redefining the tourism sector. This technological shift is steering traditional tourist destinations towards smarter, more sustainable models. The study utilizes a multifaceted approach, combining documentary and bibliographical analysis with empirical data from the EU’s DATES project. By employing the Drivers, Pressures, State, Impacts, Responses (DPSIR) model, it provides a nuanced understanding of the dynamics in TDS. The findings underscore TDS’s pivotal role in improving decision-making and personalizing tourism services. The study also acknowledges the growing need for detailed tourism information to enhance travel planning and experience personalization. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of efficient and secure data management in tourism. This comprehensive analysis points to a future where data-driven insights foster more sustainable, tailored travel experiences. Additionally, the research illuminates both the challenges and prospects inherent in implementing TDS, stressing the importance of clear governance, technical standards, and balancing diverse stakeholder interests in the tourism industry. By addressing these challenges, the article posits that TDS can make a significant contribution to the innovation and sustainability of the tourism sector.

Complementary Approaches to Planning a Restored Coastal Wetland and Assessing the Role of Agriculture and Biodiversity: An Applied Case Study in Southern Italy

The European Parliament has recently passed the “Nature Recovery” law to restore degraded ecosystems and prevent natural disasters as part of its “Biodiversity Strategy 2030” and “Green Deal”. In this respect, wetlands can provide a wide range of ecosystem services such as biodiversity conservation, hydrological land protection, provision of products, cultural and recreational benefits, and many others. However, they are still threatened by the expansion of agricultural land, overexploitation of water resources, water pollution, climate change, etc. Wetland conservation, however, is essential and requires coordinated action by managers, policymakers, stakeholders, and scientists. A systemic planning and design process is required to address these complex challenges. This research aims to outline an integrated, comprehensive, and well-structured planning framework for wetland systems that can be applied to different wetland types, in line with institutional wetland policy, governance, and management. The methodological approach developed in this study aims to integrate a longer-term strategy plan with a shorter-term action plan by combining the Yeomans scale of permanence and the Driver–Pressure–State–Impact–Response model. This innovative approach was applied to a specific case study and may guide further wetland planning in the future. The Nominal Group Technique was used, a consensus method aimed at achieving a general agreement and convergence of opinion. An expert group of seven members with different technical backgrounds was engaged and expert consultation was found to be a simple and rapid technique for carrying out wetland planning. The expert judgements were sound, consistent, and did not overlap (i.e., were not redundant). “Pressures” and “Impacts” were identified by the experts and clustered according to corresponding “States” and “Drivers”. Expert scoring allowed the resulting “Responses” to be ranked in terms of their relevance and influence on the development of the wetland strategy and action plan, while a priority order for their implementation was assessed according to the Yeomans scale of permanence. Agriculture was the highest rated ‘Driver’; similarly, Biodiversity (habitats and species) was the ‘State’ with the highest score. Therefore, their combination (agriculture and biodiversity) should be considered as the strategic cornerstone of the whole planning framework. This means designing and implementing a system in which agriculture and nature (in our case a wetland) are allied ecological systems in mutual compensation, according to the way natural elements are embedded in the agricultural system. A collection of factsheets containing the full list of responses considered in the Wetlands Action Plan, with detailed operational actions, is provided in the Appendixes.

Assessing Water Security and Coupling Coordination in the Lancang–Mekong River Basin for Sustainable Development

Water security is crucial for the sustainable development of regional water resources. Here, we utilize the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework to construct an indicator system for assessing water security in the Lancang–Mekong River Basin (LMRB). This study also delves into the level of development in the coupling coordination between the economic and social systems and the water resources systems in the basin. The findings reveal that the overall water security situation in the LMRB is satisfactory, with three countries (China, Laos, and Vietnam) surpassing the “safe” threshold and three countries (Thailand, Cambodia, and Myanmar) “Basically safe”. However, water security issues persist, particularly in relation to water pollution and scarcity. Seasonal water shortages and water-related disasters arise due to uneven rainfall distribution throughout the year and inadequate regulating facilities such as wetlands and reservoirs. In addition, the overall coupling coordination level in the LMRB is low, ranging between 0.3 and 0.4, corresponding to a moderate imbalance level in the assessment criteria system. Specifically, Laos and China exhibit the highest coupling coordination level, with a degree of 0.36, whereas Thailand and Myanmar demonstrate the lowest level, with degrees of 0.33 and 0.31, respectively. Overall, our results offer a scientific foundation for the sustainable development of countries within the LMRB.

Applying the projection pursuit and DPSIR model for evaluation of ecological carrying capacity in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China.

The ecological carrying capacity (ECC) of Inner Mongolia is the foundation of its sustainable development. As a result, a comprehensive investigation of Inner Mongolia's ECC and its influencing factors is critical for promoting regional sustainable development. However, an ECC evaluation index system for the ecological environment and economic development features of Inner Mongolia has not yet been developed. In addition, as ECC attributes rise, traditional methods become ineffective at extracting the structural characteristics of high-dimensional data, leading to an incomplete evaluation. In view of this, based on the driver-pressure-state-impact-response (DPSIR) framework, we developed an ECC evaluation index system that takes into account the ecological environment and economic development features of Inner Mongolia. The projection pursuit model based on real coded accelerating genetic algorithm (RAGA-PP), which can analyze high-dimensional data, was applied to achieve ECC comprehensive assessment in Inner Mongolia. Finally, the analysis of the ECC obstacle factors in the study area was conducted. The findings reveal that (1) from 2000 to 2020, there was an average increase of 28.4% in the ECC for all of Inner Mongolia cities. The spatial divergence feature is obvious, and the northeastern cities' ECC is higher than the southwestern. (2) From 2000 to 2020, the value of the drive, pressure, and state subsystems primarily shows fluctuation. The impact and response subsystems both exhibit an increase, while the response subsystem's characteristic values are lower. (3) The obstacle degree of driving force subsystem is significant and ranges from 17.6 to 33.9% between 2000 and 2020. Main obstacles to ECC are the average annual temperature, the disposable income of farmers and herdsmen, the urban registered unemployment rate, and the seeded area per capita. The findings of the research can provide useful guidance to developing efficient policies that take into account the various ECC in different cities in order to improve ECC performance throughout Inner Mongolia.

Assessing Land Resource Carrying Capacity in China’s Main Grain-Producing Areas: Spatial–Temporal Evolution, Coupling Coordination, and Obstacle Factors

The land resources in the main grain-producing areas (MGPAs) provide a solid foundation for grain production, and promotion of the sustainable utilization of land resources in these areas is crucial for ensuring national food security. To comprehensively assess the land resource carrying capacity (LRCC) in China’s MGPAs, we utilized the driver-pressure-state-impact-response (DPSIR) framework and applied the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and entropy weight (EW) method to analyze the spatial–temporal evolution of LRCC in China’s MGPAs from 2000 to 2020. By establishing a coupling coordination model, we explored the coupling coordination relationships among LRCC subsystems and identified key factors hindering the balanced development of LRCC using an obstacle degree model. The research results indicate that the LRCC in China’s MGPAs generally shows an increasing trend with a continuously growing rate, with the LRCC in the southern regions surpassing that in the northern regions. The overall coupling coordination of LRCC demonstrates an increasing trend, although the growth rate is decreasing. The coupling coordination level of LRCC in the southern regions is generally higher than that in the northern regions, and the gap in coordination levels between various regions is narrowing. The state and pressure subsystems significantly influence the balanced development of LRCC. Indicators such as arable land area per capita, grain production yield per unit area of arable land, grain production yield per capita, forest land area per capita, and grassland area per capita play vital roles in the development of LRCC. Based on these findings, we have put forward targeted recommendations.

A Preliminary Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Ecological Product Value Realization in China Based on the DPSIR Model

Ecological Product Value Realization (EPVR) is regarded as an effective tool for ecological civilization construction in China and has received widespread attention. Based on the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) model, this study constructs a multi-layered evaluation index system for the effectiveness of EPVR in China from a systemic perspective and determines the weights of the indicators through the entropy weight method. On this basis, an empirical analysis of the EPVR effectiveness in China from 2011 to 2021 is conducted using the TOPSIS method, the coupling coordination degree model, and the obstacle diagnosis model. The results show that the whole effectiveness of EPVR in China has been significantly improved during the study period, with the composite evaluation index increasing from 0.1481 to 0.7680, which can be categorized into a slow exploration period (2011 to 2016) and a rapid development period (2017 to 2021). The development effectiveness and the state of coupling coordination varies between subsystems, and the main obstacle factors are not fixed. The above results verify the scientific nature and applicability of the index system, which can provide a new assessment method to promote the efficient utilization of resources and sustainability. This study also makes recommendations in terms of ecological product supply, natural resource utilization, eco-industry, and coordinated development.

Ecosystem health risk assessment of lakes in the Inner Mongolian Plateau based on the coupled AHP-SOM-CGT model

The ecosystem health risk assessment of lake basins can provide a crucial foundation and support for the sustainable development of ecosystems in the arid regions of northern China. This study adopts the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework to select evaluation indicators, and utilizes a coupled model of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)-Self-Organizing Mapping Neural Network Algorithm (SOM)-Combinatorial Game Theory Algorithm (CGT) to determine the weight values of each indicator, and ultimately calculate the Ecosystem Health Index (EHI) of a typical lake basin from 1990 to 2020. AHP and SOM are employed to determine the subjective and objective weights of the evaluation indicators, respectively. While, the CGT is used to establish a balance between these two weights. This ensures that the final weight values embody both the subjective preferences of the decision-makers and the objective characteristics inherent in the data. The calculations show that the EHI of the basin fluctuated from a healthy state (69.8) in 1990 to a sub-healthy state (47.0) in 2020, although the dominant factors influencing EHI varied across different stages, the decline in the Driver and Impact health indices emerged as the primary reason for the decrease in EHI. Before 2009, driven by socio-economic development, the area of irrigated land and water withdrawals in the basin increased significantly, which led to an increase in ecosystem pressures, resulting in a rapid decrease in EHI. After 2009, the increase in per capita water resources and water-saving irrigation facilities reduced the pressure on the ecological system. the increased ecological water use and afforestation area improved the ecosystem’s status, leading to an increase in the vegetation cover within the basin and a gradual upward trend in EHI.

Integrated assessment for Sustainable Development Goals of metropolitan regions: A case study of the Pearl River Delta region, China

Achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the sub-national scale requires contextual insights and localized implementation. This study utilizes Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework to assess SDG progress and interactions in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) metropolitan region of China. Population growth, economic development, and rapid urbanization are key drivers, exerting pressures on energy and water consumption, pollutant discharges, transportation, environmental degradation, and disaster management. The results reveal varied progress in nine goals intrinsic to this metropolitan context, with notable progress in energy and water consumption, and employment (Goals 7, 8, and 3). While moderate progress is evidenced in poverty reduction, economic growth, healthcare services, social security, access to potable water, water quality (Goals 1 and 6), challenges remain in transportation, waste generation, air quality, forest management, and disaster response (Goals 9, 11, and 15). Furthermore, target interaction analysis suggests that initiatives in high-leverage areas - ecosystem and environmental protection, equal access to resources and basic services, and climate change response - can yield substantial systemic impacts. However, poverty reduction, access to resources and basic services, ecosystem protection, and economic growth appear more dependent on system-wide efforts. By leveraging the DPSIR model, this context-sensitive SDG assessment accentuates priority zones and offers valuable perspective for cohesive SDG strategy formation and policy-making in dynamically growing metropolitan areas globally.

Scheme simulation and predictive analysis of water environment carrying capacity in Shanxi Province based on system dynamics and DPSIR model

A key influence factor of sustainable regional development is the water environment carrying capacity (WECC), which is a prerequisite for ecological security and harmonious regional development. Utilizing the benefits of the dynamic analysis of system dynamics (SD) and the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework system, we constructed a water environment carrying capacity-system dynamics (WECC-SD) model and evaluation index system for Shanxi Province. Five possible future development schemes were designed to predict the changes in WECC from 2020 to 2030. Further, we analyzed the system coordination with the coupling coordination degree model. The results manifest that the comprehensive ranking of WECC under different schemes is: comprehensive scheme > water environment protection scheme > water conservation scheme > status quo scheme > economic development scheme. The economic development scheme performs the worst in WECC and coupling coordination performance, the water conservation and water environment protection schemes can both improve WECC to varying degrees but promote coordinated system development to a very limited extent, the comprehensive scheme can significantly improve WECC and system coordination and is the best strategy to realize the coordinated and steady development of regional economic activities and the water environment. In future development, economic development should be moderated on the premise that the quality of the water environment will gradually enhance and the consumption of water resources will continue to decline, so that a benign relationship between population – economy – water resources – water environment can be created and a steady increase in the level of coordinated regional development can be promoted. The study reveals complex impact relationships within the WECC system and informs the development of future regional planning and environmental policy.